NHK has learned that North Korea is expected to start producing drones this year that will be co-developed with Russia.

Multiple sources familiar with Russia-North Korea relations told NHK that the two countries reached an agreement under which the North receives technical help from Russia to develop multiple types of drones to be mass manufactured.

The likely deal comes as Moscow and Pyongyang have been strengthening military ties. Last year, they signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty.

The sources say the accord on drone development is in return for North Korea's deployment of soldiers to aid Russia, which is continuing its invasion of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the sources say Russia is reluctant to provide support for North Korea's development of nuclear weapons. They say Moscow worries that factors such as Pyongyang conducting nuclear tests would complicate the North's relations with the United States as well as neighboring countries, including China.

In November 2024, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected a performance test of a so-called suicide drone and ordered that a system be developed to mass produce the weapon.